Omaha daily bee., 1887-09-25
PICKERING MEMORIAL CHURCH
Why the Name Was Substituted for the
First Methodist.
A QUAINT AND ABLE PREACHER.
The Life and Labors of Rev. George
Pickerina, a Noted Giant of
the early Days OF Method
ism.

At the last session of the quarterly con
the name of the church was changed to
that of Pickering Memorial church. A
general inquiry has been made by the
friends of the church as to the reason for
the change.
Rev. George Pickering was one OF the
early and most noted Methodist preach
ers among those giants of the early days
of MethOdism He was born in Mary
land in 1869, converted at eighteen years
of age in st. Georges church in Phila-
delphia, commenced preaching immdi-
ately but joined the conference one year
later, and continued his work for fifty
seven years, preaching until few weeks
before his death. From l796 until 1S46.
the time of his death, n period of fifty
years, his work WAS principally done IN
New England. He was one of the lead
ers of the church, and fully identified
with all the interests CT the church, both
temporal and spiritual. For sixteen years
he was presiding elder, for nine years
missionary and much of the time over
district including all of Rhode Island,
MtSShCnlSeltS, NcW IluulDSiiiIc anu Ci.
mont, except the district west of the
mountains. It was immense work to
travel in those days over such II stretch
of country, four times annually. with no
better means of transportation than pri.
vate conveyance. Those long journeys
were made IN the early days on horse.
back, fording rivers often swollen by
freshets, climbing mountain passes in
mldwinter and frequently sleep.
ing alone in .he dense forests.
The log cabin was then the home OF many
settlers and religious services were held
in these. and often in pleasant weather
under the spreading trees. But the work
was undertaken cheerfully and pros
ecuted enthusiastically. The men had
message for their fellow men, and it
must be carried to them at all hazards.
The compensation of preacher was so
small that it seems almost ridiculous in
this day of large salaties. Mr. Pickering's
| way of giving the amount of his salary
was characteristic and shows the sacrifice
| submitted to in their calling. He said
| their salaries were $64 per annum, If
| you could get it, rs this small amount
was often only partly paid. MIR. Picker
| ing in his fifty years of service after his
marriage, was absent from home
pit1ss'0''niE pisast forty his years e,ls ~0fEs He
only gave ten years of half a century to
| his family and his own rest and enjoy
| ment of the family circle. He was one
| of the few men who have declined the
Office of bishop, none other, we believe,
| except Wilbur Fisk, the founder and first
president OF Wesleyan university at Mid.
dletown, Connecticut.
As a preacher he was perhaps best
known, though he spoke on all subjects
and was one of the most active in all
educational matters. often raising large
sums of money, for those days, to build up
the struggling institutions of meth0dism
| Wherever he preached until his work was
done, large crowds followed him, and tn G
simple announcement of his name would
crowd any house of worship. His intense
earnestness and gentlemanly. bearing
won all hearts, not only those of his own
denomination, but his popularity ex.
tended to all Christians of all denomina.
tions. His style was quaint and O
"sanctltied humor' awakened at once
the attention of his audience. and his
brevity insured the closest interest to the
end of his discourse. His fortune left
him by his father consisted principally
of slaves, but he refused to receive them
aud they were freed. This was long be
fore The anti-slavery excitement, but he
learned for himself that man had nc
proprietary rights in his fellowman.
DR.. Abel Stevens, the historian of the
church, says Of him: George Pickering
was rare man in all respects Any jus
delneatiop of HIM must comprehend tn,
whole man, for 1t was not his distinction
to be marked by few extraordinary
traits, but by general excellence HI
says again: "His character was full o
energy-nevcr wavering, never impuls
i've. AS a statesman he would have beer
secure if not successful; as militar.
commander, his whole character wOul'
have guaranteed that confidence, energy
more etfectually than hosts Had h.
lived in the days of the Roman common
wealth, he might have competed wit
Cato for the censorship; not so much
however, from his rigorous construction
of the morals of others, as by the rigOr
Gus perfection of his own" His HON
was the seat of the most unbounded hos
pitality. 1t was for years the church TO
all the surrounding country, and tn
Mecca of the Methodist ltinerant afte
long and toilsome journeys. The write
counted at one time over four hundre
preachers who had made his house thci
: home or resting-place. Congregate
= there. at first because it was home II
5 deed for the weary and worn toilers, an
subsequently because Lney Wisheu 10 pa
, | their respects and enjoy the society of S
3 remarkable and venerable man.
s Mr.. Pickering enjoyed at his death tn
distinction of being the Oldest eticctly
Methodist preacher in the world.
T DR.. Stevens closes his biography
saving that he was perfect gentiema
.. in manners and appearance and liber
/. to all christians. Such was Geors
, Pickering-pure in character, laborioi
L in life, triumphant IN death"
8 Mr. Pickering was the father of MIR
. George w. Frost of this city and ii
8 grandfather of Mr.. George 2. Bemis, al!
J well known here.
. A short time since MIR. Bcmis erected
! very costly and beautiful monument
the memory of Mr.. Pickering and h
r wife and family IN the cemetery in Wa
j. than, Mass, and he has donated $50
t to the new church on condition tn
the church is named after
:, grandfather, George Pickering Benz